What a Great City....Vancouver

This is my first time to be in Vancouver for any length of time...and I love it! About ten years ago when I was in Washington state on a business trip, friends of mine from Bellingham brought me over the border and drove me through Vancouver...but that little day trip didn't reveal to me the real Vancouver. Being here for the Winter Olympics is like a dream come true. This city reminds me so much of Japan minus the language barrier. It's so similar to Hokkaido in North Japan where I lived for almost 16 years. It's the kind of city that you want to get out in and walk the streets. Wonderful shops! Family-oriented activities. Great food...all kinds. This week I've had Korean, Japanese, Israeli, French, and of course, American food. That's not my purpose for being here but it definitely is a plus. I'm loving it.

Being here for the Olympics means that we walk a lot..all day long. Vancouver is an easy city to get around in. City transportation is not complicated. People ride bikes. Taxis are abundant. Water taxis, small boats, take you across the river from downtown to Granville Island.

The Canadian people are so friendly. They are so proud to host this Winter Olympics. Even though I'm an American and cheering for the USA, it's such a joy to see them rejoice when the Canadian athletes win a medal. They are eager to talk with us...and welcome us and wish us a wonderful stay.

The contrast between this Olympics and the one in Beijing in 2008 is tremendous. We have such freedom to share and witness and talk about God and Jesus and how to become a Christian. We speak to the policemen and security guards who are patroling the streets. Some of them we know by name now and thank them daily for the job they are doing of keeping the city safe. They smile at us and talk with us. This afternoon as I was walking through one of the shopping areas on Granville Island, I saw a Chinese man in a Security Guard uniform. For a moment a twinge of fear made my heart beat faster...remembering the Olympics in China when our rooms were bugged and we were followed around by the Secret Police, having to be very careful who we talked with and shared with and where we went. Nothing like that here in Vancouver.

So, my prayer is that God will give us boldness to talk and share and pray with as many people as possible while we are in this wonderfully receptive country. This is such a multicultured city. Even so, I'm praying that God bring many many Chinese people into our paths here and that we can even share fearlessly and lovingly with them.

Tomorrow I go to my first Olympic event. I will cheer for the USA...and also for Canada, our wonderful northern neighbor. America is blessed.

Getting There...22 hours

I love flying. I love airports. I love watching the people all around me there. The first day of my trip to Vancouver started at 4:20 AM on Saturday and ended at the Samesun Backpackers Lodge in downtown Vancouver at around 3:30 AM (Texas time). That's when I crawled into the creaky-springed bunk bed in a small room with three other ladies on our team, two I'd never met, one a long-time friend. Trying to keep quiet was impossible because the bed needed a serious dosing of WD-40. All I could do at that time of the morning was laugh and be thankful that the others were deep sleepers. Not the greatest accomodations, picture "backpackers' hostel," but an incredibly awesome location right in the middle of town where the streets are teeming with people...God's plan.

Back to the long trip... Meeting people, being alert, being sensitive to God's leading on who to approach, who to talk to, who to share with...God is so God to show me His plan. By the time I arrived in Seattle, three airport and three flights, I was able to share the plan of salvation with an airport worker, a husband and wife, a fellow passenger from Vancouver, a seat mate from Taiwan who lives in Alaska, two ladies from Vancouver and another lady from Iceland. Some already had a relationship with Jesus, some of them didn't...but they heard and were encouraged to know Him and follow Him.

The final leg from Seattle Airport to Vancouver was on a shuttle bus which we boarded at 8:15 (10:15 TX time) for the 4+ hour drive to our destination. We stood on the curb waiting on the bus and making friends with a group of tourists from Taiwan, a couple of ladies from Vancouver who were returning from a visit to Texas, and a lady from Iceland. We arrived finally at the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver...not to stay...but to be met by a couple of wonderful AMI Sports Chaplains, James and Jeff, who manhandled our heavy bags the final 7 blocks to Samesun Backpackers Lodge. Twenty-two hours...and good sleep met us. God's protection was our covering the whole way. Your prayers were effective.

Golden opportunities in a condensed space and time, the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, to share freely and bravely the Truth and the Way of salvation.

From Texas to the Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010

There's a bit of excitement in my "korner" of the world in East Texas right now. Last minute items being marked off of my list as KC and I get packed and get ready to head to Vancouver for our part on the AMI Sports Chaplains Team. KC will literally be "packed" in a suitcase as we leave Saturday from the airport in Shreveport, LA with flight changes in Dallas and Chicago before the final flight to Seattle, WA. We'll meet up with other team members there and travel as a group on to our final destination, team headquarters in Vancouver. After a bit of orientation we will hit the streets and do what we do best, sharing Jesus. I'll keep you updated with pictures, prayer requests, praise items, and testimonies for how God is using this little missionary in a box. Can't wait to get there.

I'm so thankful for all of the gifts and sacrifices made by friends, family, and churches to help me go. I am so blessed to be able to do what God has called me to do in my life as a missionary...and so thankful for those of you who partner with me. Today is a great day to share Jesus!

Because of Him,

Judy